**Ryan Giggs Reveals Heartbreak Watching Wales’ Euros Success from Afar**
Ryan Giggs, legendary Manchester United figure and former Wales manager, has spoken candidly about the emotionally charged moment he shifted from celebration to sadness while watching the Welsh national team compete at Euro 2020 from his own living room. His comments have shed new light on the often unseen personal toll experienced by managers removed from their posts in difficult circumstances.
Giggs took over as Wales manager in 2018, succeeding Chris Coleman after guiding the national side to unprecedented heights. Under Giggs, Wales successfully qualified for a major tournament — a feat achieved with vital victories over Slovakia, Hungary, and Azerbaijan, alongside a crucial draw against Croatia during their UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying campaign. Fans had high hopes that Giggs would lead the team to further glory on the big stage.
However, in November 2020, Giggs’ managerial journey came to a sudden halt following his arrest under suspicion of assault — charges from which he was later formally cleared. Taking a leave of absence, then stepping down fully in 2022, he was unable to see through the work he had begun with the Welsh squad. The COVID-19 pandemic, meanwhile, saw Euro 2020 postponed and played the following summer, meaning Giggs was forced to watch his side’s performances unfold on television rather than from the dugout.
In an honest conversation with former teammate Rio Ferdinand on the ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’ podcast, Giggs recounted one particularly poignant moment during the tournament. “It was heart-breaking,” Giggs admitted, describing his emotional rollercoaster when Wales scored a late goal, possibly in their tie against Turkey. “I’m jumping around the front room, and then all of a sudden, I look at the TV, and it’s all the staff and players jumping in the dugout, and I’m gone. Sat down and gone.”
This bittersweet scene resonated not only for Giggs but also for Ferdinand, who observed: “Should have been me?” Giggs agreed, explaining the deep sense of longing and loss he felt watching the celebrations, knowing he was meant to be there experiencing the moment with his team.
During Giggs’ enforced absence, Rob Page stepped in as caretaker boss. Page guided Wales past the group phase and into the last 16 before their campaign ended with a heavy defeat to Denmark. Despite the disappointment, it was a notable achievement for Welsh football, and Page later led the national team to the 2022 World Cup, breaking a 64-year absence from the finals.
Nevertheless, Wales’ fortunes waned somewhat. They failed to advance beyond the group stage in Qatar and, under Page, subsequently missed qualification for Euro 2024. In July last year, Craig Bellamy took over as national team boss, ushering in a new era and hoping to build on the foundations laid by previous regimes.
Giggs’ managerial record prior to his departure was a respectable one: 12 wins, five draws, and eight losses, evidencing steady progress and growth within the squad. His abrupt exit remains one of the more poignant turning points in recent Welsh football history.
After being cleared by the Crown Prosecution Service in July 2023, Giggs has not yet returned to management. The events surrounding his exit from Wales have become a testament to how personal struggles can intertwine with, and sometimes derail, promising professional paths.
Giggs’ candidness in the interview underscores the unique pressures that come with leadership in football, and the profound sense of connection managers can feel with their teams. The clip serves as a timely reminder: while fans witness the action on the pitch, powerful personal stories often play out off-screen, away from the floodlights and fanfare.
Listeners can find the full interview, “Rio Meets Ryan Giggs”, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.